Petunia plant named ‘X00-155-1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘X00-155-1’, characterized by its compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely and continuous branching habit; small leaf size; numerous small light violet-colored flowers with purple-colored throats; and resistance to Botrytis and Powdery Mildew.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar X00-155-1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name X00-155-1.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create outwardly spreading Petunias withnumerous small flowers with attractive flower colors.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 1999 of a proprietary Petunia selection identified as X99.23.9, notpatented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Petuniaselection identified as X99.3.7, not patented, as the male, or pollenparent. The new Petunia was selected as a single plant from theresulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in 1999, inCobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, on the basis of its outwardlyspreading habit and numerous small flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings taken inCobbitty, New South Wales, Australia since 2000 has shown that theunique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar X00-155-1 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘X00-155-1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘X00-155-1’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Small leaf size.

4. Numerous small light violet-colored flowers with purple-coloredthroats.

5. Resistant to Botrytis and Powdery Mildew.

Compared to plants of the female parent, plants of the new Petunia havesmaller flowers and differ in flower color. Compared to plants of themale parent, plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers, flowerearlier and differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivarMP20, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,857. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants ofthe new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar MP20 in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia were more mounded and outwardly spreadingthan plants of the cultivar MP20.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia had less prominent venation thanflowers of plants of the cultivar MP20.

3. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar MP20 differed in flowercolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘X00-155-1’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flower buds, developing flowers, open flowers and the upper andlower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘X00-155-1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercialpractice during the summer in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse withday temperatures about 21 to 27° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18°C. and light levels about 5,000 to 9,000 foot-candles. Plants were grownwith one rooted cutting per 15.25-cm container for about 11 weeks. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar X00-155-1.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia selection identified as X99.23.9, notpatented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia selection identified as X99.3.7, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 14 days at 22° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 22° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous, whitish in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense.

Plant description:

Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; compact; initially upright,then mounded and outwardly spreading to low trailing; plants eventuallybecoming hemispherical in shape. Vigorous. Freely basal branching withabout 18 main lateral branches per plant with lateral branchespotentially forming at every node.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio containersand landscape applications.

Plant height.—About 16 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 1.6 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 145A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement, before flowering: Alternate, simple.Arrangement, when flowering: Opposite, simple. Length: About 3.7 cm.Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Broadly acute to rounded.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Glandular, viscid; pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Youngfoliage, upper surface: 144A. Young foliage, lower surface: 146C. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, lowersurface: 146C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147D. Petiole length:About 1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2.5 mm. Petiole color: 145C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Small salverform flowers; flowers face mostlyupward or outward; single, axillary. Flowers persistent. Freelyflowering, typically about 500 open flowers and flower buds per plant.

Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; spring until frost in theautumn; flowering continuous during the flowering period.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About 5 to 7 days.

Fragrance.—Faint; sweet, spicy.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Tube length: About 2.5 cm. Throatdiameter, distal end: About 1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 3mm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: Apex: About 6 mm. Base:About 3 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color: 84D.

Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals, fused intoflared trumpet with distinct clefts between petal lobes. Petal lengthfrom throat: About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.8 cm. Petal shape:Roughly spatulate or fan-shaped. Petal apex: Rounded, slightlyemarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture: Smooth, velvety. Color:Petal, upper surface, when opening: 84A. Petal, lower surface, whenopening: 84C. Petal, upper surface, fully opened: 84C; color fadingtowards 84D with subsequent development. Petal, lower surface, fullyopened: 85C. Flower throat (inside): 77A. Flower tube (outside): 84D.Venation, upper petal surface: 84C. Venation, lower petal surface: 85D.Venation, throat: 86A. Venation, tube: 87D.

Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals fused atbase, star-shaped. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, both surfaces:Glandular, viscid. Color: Upper surface: 146A. Lower surface: 146B to146C.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.25 cm. Width: About 1.25 mm. Angle: About 45°to the stem. Strength: Moderately strong; wiry. Texture: Pubescent.Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five, adnate tocorolla tube. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anthercolor: 93D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 97B. Pistils: Quantity:One. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded, flattened.Stigma color: 146A. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 145D. Ovarycolor: 145A.

Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed tohave good resistance to Botrytis and Powdery Mildew. Plants of the newPetunia have not been noted to be resistant to pests common to Petunia.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘X00-155-1’, as illustrated and described. 